1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data processing methods for adaptively refining the order and/or content of a list of items based upon the monitored actions of one or more users who access the list.
2. Description of the Related Art
One problem in the field of data processing and electronic catalogs is that of assisting users in efficiently locating items that are the most likely to be of interest. For example, when a web site displays a list of recommended items to a user, it would be desirable to present the list so as to include and emphasize those items that are the most likely to be of interest to the user given the particular context of the user.
One technique to address this problem involves presenting those items that, based on an analysis of browsing data, are or have recently been the most popular among a population of users. However, unless the user is able and willing to present feedback regarding the relevance of the presented items, these lists tend to be static and ineffective, particularly for users with specialized interests.
Another problem for online merchants is an inability to effectively target their marketing directly to those consumers who would be most interested in particular products. For example, existing product recommendation services tend to be effective only after an accurate profile of a particular consumer's interests has been developed. Thus, it may be difficult or impossible for a system that uses conventional recommendation algorithms to provide meaningful product recommendations to new customers or customers for which little information is known. Therefore, there is a continued need for ways to prioritize displays of items within an electronic catalog.